As fellow Canadian chanteuse/Broken Social Scenester Feist enjoys crossover success with the latest string of iPod commercials, Emily Haines has decided to put her minimalist solo side project - Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton - on ice for the time being and return to her roots as frontwoman of electro-pop indie outfit Metric. Tonight, Haines and co. are returning to the venue that first brought them together six years ago.
Bathed in iridescent strobes with darkness obscuring all but the ghostly pale visage of sprightly singer Alice, opening act Crystal Castles set the mark very high with their eclectic brand of electro-dance rock. They’re like the love child of CSS and Super Mario, incorporating a mixture of electro beats and video game jingles, with Alice yelping and thrashing about like Test Icicles’ Sammy Danger. Fittingly the duo - accompanied by a live drummer - are named after an archaic Atari game. The throbbing sonic beat of tune “Alice Practice” even incited spurts of dancing from the typically reticent Webster Hall crowd.
The benchmark set by Crystal Castles was shattered to pieces as soon as Ms. Haines, oozing sexuality in a skimpy, skintight dress, took the stage. Complemented by one of the more impressive lighting schemes I’ve seen in oft-criticized Webster Hall, Ms. Haines energized the crowd with her sultry dance moves and soft, angelic voice. With her carroty, tousled mane veiling her pretty, chiseled face - okay, I have a slight crush - Haines and co. played mostly a mix of material off sophomore album Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? and most recent LP Live It Out, along with a host of new, more experimental material. From the opening notes of impressive new ditty “Freddy Mercury,” the audience is completely rapt, matching Haines’ insane energy by singing along and dancing throughout the set. The transition from sensuous ballad “Poster of a Girl” to dancehall stomper “Dead Disco” was mind-blowing, as was fan favorite “Combat Baby” and hyperagitated rally cry “Monster Hospital.” While the 80-minute set ended abruptly courtesy of newbie “Stadium Love,” and they didn’t play my favorite song of theirs - “The Twist” off debut album Grow Up and Blow Away - any time Webster Hall plays host to spirited dancing - of the non bridge & tunnel variety - is sure cause for celebration.
--Marlow Stern
